VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Ren Dyer Interview
VIDEO: Bryant Thomas Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Ren Dyer (Weaverville, N.C.) and Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) combined for 41 and Carson-Newman (9-5, 8-5 South Atlantic Conference) shot better than 60 percent from the field for a second straight game in a 97-70 takedown of UVA Wise (3-12, 3-12 SAC) Wednesday night at the Prior Convocation Center.
"We're playing confidently, we're playing with purpose and most importantly we are playing together," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "(Carson-Newman head women's basketball Coach Mike) Mincey remarked to me after his game and before ours that we have a good winning vibe about us. It's obvious to others that we have something special brewing. It's still so very new and young, it's still evolving."
Thomas scored a career-best 20 on a flawless 10-for-10 night from the field. He became the fourth Eagle and the fifth player in SAC history to take at least 10 shots without missing. He joined Shaun Jones (12-for-12 v. Newberry – 12-3-16), Carson Brooks (12-of-12 v. Barton - 11-14-14) and Jeff Marshall (11-for-11 v. Gardner-Webb – 2-28-95) as the only Eagles to perform flawlessly from the field on 10 or more shots.
Former Queens post Sean Morgan is the only other player in the league to accomplish such a feat.
"Bryant's shooting performance tonight was extraordinary," Benson said. "He was in rare air tonight. It's hard to go 10-of-10, especially when you consider that he only had two dunks and was taking some tough shots. I'm thrilled for him. His confidence continues to score."
Thomas also had six boards and played with only one turnover. However, for the first time this season – the nation's second-best shot blocker didn't have a rejection.
�� Hold the league's leading scorer to six.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) February 11, 2021
�� @_b_smooth_ becomes the thirdd @CN_Hoops player to take 10 shots without missing.
�� @rendyer2000 splashes in seven threes.
All in a days work for the �� in a double-digit road W pic.twitter.com/uOB3I6OL9z
"I just tried to catch the ball and get to my move," Thomas said. "My teammates encouraged me to my hook and they put me in a position to succeed tonight."
Meanwhile, Dyer reset his career highs for points (21), threes made (seven) and assists (seven).
"Ren had an elite night," Benson said. "I can't say I'm surprised because he's an incredible competitor. He just brings it. He and Bryant Thomas did so many great things, but so many guys did great things. I'm thrilled for them. I'm more thrilled with our performance on the road against a UVA Wise team that had won three of its last four."
Dyer went 7-of-12 from long range to become the first Eagle to make seven threes in a game since Malik Abraham against Newberry on March 2, 2019. The seven threes are tied for the 11th most in a single game in school history.
He also had eight rebounds to get within spitting distance of a triple-double.
Dyer is the first Carson-Newman freshman with a 20-point game since Kaleb Wallace, who did it at UVA Wise last year.
Dyer and Thomas become the first Eagle duo with 20 points apiece since EJ Bush (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) and Jaylan McGill had 27 and 20, respectively in a season-opening loss at Lees-McRae last year.
Dyer's efficiency from deep (7-of-12) and Thomas's efficiency inside were a part of a larger them for the Eagles.
C-N shot 62.9 percent from the field (39-of-62) to finish on the plus side of 60 for a second straight game. It marks Carson-Newman's first back-to-back nights shooting better than 60 percent from the field since the Eagles did it to Coker and Newberry on Jan. 27 and 30, 2018.
It's the 30th time all-time Carson-Newman has shot better than 60 percent from the field.
The Eagles canned 13 threes on 30 attempts.
1⃣4⃣ straight wins for @CN_Hoops against UVA Wise. @Rendyer2000 and @_b_smooth_ combine for 4⃣1⃣ as both set new career-high in points. pic.twitter.com/DWEBXskutb
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) February 11, 2021
Carson-Newman built a double-digit lead before the halfway point of the first half on a 15-0 burst in the span of 3:30. Briggs Parris nailed a three with 13:56 to go in the first half to get UVA Wise within five, 15-10.
Then the Eagles erupted. Dyer hit threes sandwiched around a Tripp Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) steal and score to stretch the lead to double digits in a span of 37 seconds. Reigning SAC Player of the Week Luke Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) capped the surge and stretched the lead to 20, 30-10, with a head-of-the-key three at the 11 minute mark.
The Eagles would carry a 25-point lead into the halftime locker room and lead by as many as 38 in the second half.
Davis and Bush rounded out C-N's double-digit scorers with 13 and 12, respectively.
Davis dropped five assists and had four steals. Brenegan finished with three points, but had seven assists. The Eagles had a season-high 26 assists as a unit.
UVA Wise became the first team to score 70 on C-N since Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 27 and the first to shoot better than 40 percent since Wingate on Jan. 23, snapping three and four-game streaks, respectively.
"That wasn't our top performance, especially defensively," Dyer said. "We don't want to settle, especially coming out of half. We have to control what we can control. It did work out for a win, but not as good as it could've been."
In spite of an off night for the SAC's top scoring defense, the Eagles held the league's leading scorer Cameron Whiteside to six points, 16 below his average.
Izeah Parker led UVA Wise with 12 points. He was one of four in double figures.
Carson-Newman won its fourth consecutive this year and its seventh out of its last eight games. The Eagles extended their unbeaten run of games against UVA Wise to 14 straight. Carson-Newman has never lost to the Highland Cavaliers.
It goes down as Carson-Newman's first double-digit road win since thumping Coker 77-56 Feb. 8, 2020.
Carson-Newman returns to action Saturday for its second contest in a week against Catawba. Tipoff with the Indians is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts 15 minutes prior to gametime with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on The Mountain 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
